


Spread your wings

by TheGirlWhoWaited



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, Bird!lock, Brass Bangles and Birds of Prey, Fantasy AU, Johnlock Challenges, Johnlock Gift Exchange, M/M, Sherlock is some sort of half bird/half human mutant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 12:34:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGirlWhoWaited/pseuds/TheGirlWhoWaited
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock has kept his true self a secret for two years, but now he has lost something and it seems that he can no longer avoid to tell his flatmate what is really going on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spread your wings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jamesphillimoresumbrella](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=jamesphillimoresumbrella).



He should never have known. Sherlock had planned to keep it a secret and that plan was successful for nearly three years now. Why was it that this stupid cuff had to break exactly now that John was about to return from his vacation he spent with his sister? Sherlock’s little problem was probably the last thing he should be dealing with right now. 

What John didn’t know: Sherlock had been dealing with a strange kind of mutation for all his life. There were small signs of it when he was in his younger ages but it was only when he turned sixteen that the symptoms began to fully develop. One day he looked into the mirror and noticed that his nose suddenly resembled a beak, rather than his normal human organ.  
Also the back aches he had been suffering from for days were explained when he removed his shirt and two eagle like wings emerged from his back and unfolded themselves to a massive width.  
Of course he had been shocked, terrified even, a feeling that was new to him. Sherlock Holmes was not one to get easily worked up about something.  
But right then, he screamed, thus alarming his mother who found him in his room, crouched on the floor and nearly completely covered by his wings. 

After he spoke to some specialists, who had been very hard to find, Sherlock learned that he was not the only one to be concerned by this strange anomaly, but that there were indeed about two hundreds of people like him scattered across the world.  
The phenomenon had been known to scientists for about twenty years, under the name of „anomalia avis rapax”, and had been examined closely in governmental laboratories under the highest secrecy until they found a way to control the transformation. 

The scientists explained to Sherlock that for his kindred it was natural to have their wings, beaks and also claws (which Sherlock hadn’t even noticed until then) uncovered as often as possible. But of course that was not possible, as it would be very hard for them to go on with their normal lives.  
So they developed a certain censoring system that made it easier for the affected to control the urge to follow their nature. It could easily be carried in a small bracelet, in Sherlock’s case a thin brass bangle.  
The sensors sent signals to his brain and eased down the effort it took to keep his “other body” hidden. Still he had to be truly himself, uncovered, at least three full days in a row per month. 

He had been able to keep his schedule for the last two years he lived with John. Once a month he excused himself and went to the country house his family owned, which was far away from curious neighbours and nosy flatmates. Of course John didn’t know where he was going and after a few months he had stopped asking questions.  
The secret had thus been well kept, without John suspecting even the tiniest bit. 

But now he had a real problem. In the case he had solved earlier this day he had been forced to run around London for quite a long time, climbing over several fences and walls blocking his way. It was then that his bracelet must have fallen off, because now it was clearly gone and Sherlock had already searched all his pockets and everywhere in his room. He could already feel the tickling sensation between his shoulder blades and in the tip of his fingers where his wings and claws were about to break through. The process itself had long stopped being painful, but felt more like relief. It was the suppression of it that took all his strength and made him feel weak and tired, his bones aching. 

“Back to the pressing matter” he reminded himself. “John is in front of the door, about to enter the flat. I have another minute maximum until I can’t control it anymore. I can’t keep him out of the room either, he will suspect something after some time and I have to get out eventually in order to get my bangle…” He hissed and shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He would have to tell him, there was no other way. Slowly he took off his shirt to keep it from tearing apart, while he heard John rustling in the living room. “Sherlock? Are you home?” he called, his steps nearing Sherlock’s door. 

“John stop!” Sherlock shouted with almost something as desperation in his voice. He prayed to God that John would listen. Apparently he did, because his footsteps stopped immediately.  
“Sherlock? Is everything okay? Are you alright?” John asked, worry clearly audible. “Yes, John. I’m… alright. Don’t worry” Sherlock answered and took a step towards the door. “John, I want you to listen to me. I want you not to say anything until I finished. Can you do that for me?” He heard John’s heavy breathing from the other side of the door, then a soft thump as the other man sat down and leaned his back against the door.  
“Yes Sherlock, I can do that much. Just please tell me you’re not in danger.” Sherlock’s heart jumped a little at the soft words, it gave him courage to know that John cared about his safety. “No John, I’m safe,” he said and sighed “I can’t say there’s nothing to worry about though.” “Just stop it with the secrecy Sherlock, and tell me what’s going on,” John answered, his voice a bit harsher than before. Sherlock sighed again and then, leaning his forehead against the door, his wings curled tight around his back and sides, started with the words “John, I haven’t been completely honest with you, concerning me and my being. And I want you to know that I’m sorry, but I hope you’ll understand.”

\-----

“There’s nothing I can do about it at the moment. It’s too painful for me to retract them without the help of the sensors. I’m sorry; I’ll just stay in my room until they bring me a new cuff. I won’t bother you with it anymore. I just thought you ought to know.” He had ended his talking, having told John the whole story and the impacts the transformation had on his life and also them living together. He didn’t want to have any secrets from his flatmate anymore, since Sherlock considered him his first and only friend. And friends were supposed to be honest with each other, weren’t they?  
John remained silent and Sherlock began to worry that he might have scared him too much, that he would walk away. “John?” He asked softly, barely audible “Are you there?”  
“Yes Sherlock,” he heard the answer from outside his room. “I’m sorry; I’m just a little… overwhelmed,” he paused for a few second and then spoke up again “Can I… can I come in and… see?” He asked.  
Sherlock drew in a deep breath. “Yes, of course you can… If you want to,” He got up and sat down on his bed again, facing the door, that opened slowly, revealing John who peaked around the corner, biting down on his lip and looking as shy and insecure as Sherlock had never seen him before. He didn’t like the look on John’s face; he didn’t want him to be scared to be in his presence.  
The older man’s eyes widened when he took in Sherlock’s appearance completely. He walked over to him until he was only about two steps away from him.

He didn’t say anything, neither of them did, and when Sherlock unfolded his wings to their full width, John gave a tiny gasp and took another step forward. He raised his hand and then looked at Sherlock, as if asking for permission, and when Sherlock nodded he reached out and stroked the long, golden-brown and white feathers.  
He found them to be incredibly soft and light, the feeling like stroking some sort of velvet and he couldn’t stop his hands from running over them in long strokes. He only hesitated when he heard Sherlock give an almost purring sound. He looked sideways to see that the detective had his eyes closed, his lips forming a content smile. John never had seen anything that beautiful before and the beak didn’t disturb the picture in the slightest bit. It seemed to fit in as if it had always been there. Sherlock’s eyes fluttered open when he realized John had interrupted his motions and he tilted his head slightly to look into the doctor’s eyes.  
“You’re beautiful,” John whispered “I don’t want you to hide that ever again,” Sherlock looked at him as if he couldn’t comprehend what he just heard. “You can’t mean…” he started “You can’ seriously think that this… this thing I am, is beautiful!” he waved his clawed hands in front of John’s face as if to prove some kid of monstrosity.  
“No Sherlock, you don’t understand. Even if you would grow a trunk once a month, or a pig tail, or hooves, whatever! I would still think you the most magnificent person in the whole world. You’re beautiful, and this,” he took Sherlock’s hand, careful not to hurt himself with the claws “only adds up to it. I can’t even begin to explain how amazed I am with all this. I… Sherlock, I love you!”

Sherlock froze in his place, staring at John, his face motionless except for the occasional blinking. He opened his mouth, only to close it again seconds later. “You can’t” he said, screwing up his eyes. “I would have noticed. I always notice. You couldn’t have… You love me?”  
John laughed and nodded. “Of course I do Sherlock. I wouldn’t have been able to put up with you for so if I didn’t,” he smiled and then leaned in to plant a kiss on Sherlock’s lips. Soft, and lingering only for a small moment. He then pulled back and looked at the younger man, his expression a priceless mixture of confusion and incredulity. Suddenly his features cleared and a smile spread across his face.  
“You love me!” he exclaimed with joy and grabbed John’s face by both sides to pull him in and kiss him. John chuckled when Sherlock’s beak nudged him on the nose and he tilted his head to have better access to Sherlock’s lips, which he noticed to be just as soft and tender as he always imagined. 

John got up on his tippy-toes, one hand going up in Sherlock’s hair, the other one fisted in his shirt.  
Slowly, he dragged his tongue over Sherlock’s bottom lip, trying to get him to open his mouth for him. Sherlock did so willingly, licking desperately into John’s mouth so the doctor couldn’t help himself but moan. This was exactly how John had imagined it to be, but at the same time so much better. He felt Sherlock’s wings brush his hand, and it was then that he broke away, panting, clinging to his shirt. “Off,” he said,” get this thing off!” He fumbled with the top button, his hands shaking with nervousness. Sherlock put his slender fingers over his, staring into John’s eyes. “Calm down, John,” Sherlock said, “we’re going to take this slow,” and led him over to the bed. He laid him down on his back and stripped out of his shirt, putting his hands on John’s chest afterwards. Sherlock could feel John’s heartbeat there, fast and pulsing quickly. He pulled at the hem of John’s jumper, getting him out of it. For a moment they just sat there, taking each other in, until Sherlock bent down, connecting their lips again and pushing his tongue back into John’s mouth.  
It didn’t take them long and they were lying flat pressed against each other, Sherlock trailing kisses along John’s jaw and neck while his hands played on John’s nipples. The older man’s hands were sprawled across the small of Sherlock’s back, grabbing and squeezing his butt cheeks and moaning when Sherlock found the soft spot right behind his ear.  
Sherlock smiled and let his hands travel down to the hem of John’s pants, undoing the fly and shoving his fingers into his boxers. He could already feel the doctor getting hard under his touch and he chuckled when another moan escaped the smaller man’s mouth. “Off” John panted and Sherlock happily obliged, pulling down the older one’s pants and boxers and his own afterwards, so they were both naked.  
“God, I can’t believe I missed out on this all these years, “John said and smiled. “You’re incredibly beautiful. And I want you to know that I have been waiting for this for a very long time.” There was a tiny flicker of uncertainty in Sherlock’s eyes when he looked John up and down. “You really mean it?” John nodded. “Let me show you,” he said and trailed his hand down to the taller man’s ass again. “No John,” he interrupted him, a pleading look in his eyes. “I mean, can I… I would like to…”  
The smaller man laughed up at him “You want to fuck me?” Sherlock had the decency to blush as he nodded almost unnoticeably, the question clear in his eyes.  
“Sherlock, there’s nothing in this world I would rather have you do to me,” he answered. “Do you know what to do?” he asked and chuckled. “Of course… I mean, it can’t be too difficult can it?” Sherlock smiled slightly and bent down, shoving a pillow under John’s lower back before he pressed the tips of his fingers against John’s tight hole. The smaller man gasped and closed his eyes in pleasure, his already rock-hard dick twitching against his stomach. Sherlock retreated and quickly retrieved the lube from his nightstand. He slicked up his fingers while John eyed his every move, and found that he would probably never be even close to this feeling of happiness and joy inside him again. But who knew…  
His breath hitched as Sherlock curled his long ad cold fingers around his dick, stroking softly while he pushed his first finger inside of him, wiggling around slightly. John moaned and pushed his hips towards the detective, but then wincing slightly as Sherlock’s claws scratched him. “Faster” he huffed out nonetheless and closed his eyes as Sherlock’s hand picked up speed. He leaned down to kiss John again, their lips moving in sync and their tongues exploring each other’s mouth. John was still slightly bothered by the beak in Sherlock’s face but he learned that he could almost avoid it when he angled his face in the right direction. Sherlock added another finger, pushing in and out at an even pace now. “Sherlock, I think you should stop. I want to… come with you inside me,” John murmured against the taller man’s lips, as to which the detective stopped working on John’s member. “Do you think you’re ready?” he asked and John nodded.  
Sherlock positioned himself between his legs and, after he slicked his dick with enough lube, pressed into John slowly but with much force. He gave a long moan as Sherlock buried himself inside him and stayed still for a second before he pulled out again. “Is this okay?” he whispered, suddenly all silent. “Yes, for God’s sake, don’t stop,” John replied and grabbed Sherlock’s hips to pull him back in. They both laughed and John didn’t complain when Sherlock’s claws left marks on his back, where the younger man held him tight while he thrust forward again and again, hitting that spot that made John scream his name out loud.  
And when they both came together and Sherlock’s wings stretched out in one powerful motion just as he released into him, John couldn’t help but wonder if he would ever see anything this magnificent ever again. 

“I love you,” he told his best friend who was sprawled out on top of him. “And you’re the best thing that could have happened to me.” Sherlock smiled and pressed a light kiss to his temple. “I love you too, John” he whispered, and closed his eyes.

\---------

It turned out that Sherlock’s wings were pretty useful after all. At least that’s what John thought as he clutched his arms tight around the other man’s chest, the wind ruffling their hair, the beautiful city of London with all its lights sprawled out in the night beneath them. He could definitely get used to flights like this, carefully hidden in the night sky.


End file.
